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　take　thy　rest；　do　not　stay　out　the　drinking。　I　will　remain　with　the　guests　and　give　them　all　that　is　fitting。〃　　　　　Amyntas；　who　guessed　that　Alexander　would　play　some　wild　prank；　made　answer：…　〃Dear　son；　thy　words　sound　to　me　as　those　of　one　who　is　well　nigh　on　fire；　and　I　perceive　thou　sendest　me　away　that　thou　mayest　do　some　wild　deed。　I　beseech　thee　make　no　commotion　about　these　men；　lest　thou　bring　us　all　to　ruin；　but　bear　to　look　calmly　on　what　they　do。　For　myself；　I　will　e'en　withdraw　as　thou　biddest　me。〃　　　　　Amyntas；　when　he　had　thus　besought　his　son；　went　out；　and　Alexander　said　to　the　Persians；　〃Look　on　these　ladies　as　your　own；　dear　strangers；　all　or　any　of　them…　only　tell　us　your　wishes。　But　now；　as　the　evening　wears；　and　I　see　you　have　all　had　wine　enough；　let　them；　if　you　please；　retire；　and　when　they　have　bathed　they　shall　come　back　again。〃　To　this　the　Persians　agreed；　and　Alexander；　having　got　the　women　away；　sent　them　off　to　the　harem；　and　made　ready　in　their　room　an　equal　number　of　beardless　youths；　whom　he　dressed　in　the　garments　of　the　women；　and　then；　arming　them　with　daggers；　brought　them　in　to　the　Persians；　saying　as　he　introduced　them；　〃Methinks；　dear　Persians；　that　your　entertainment　has　fallen　short　in　nothing。　We　have　set　before　you　all　that　we　had　ourselves　in　store；　and　all　that　we　could　anywhere　find　to　give　you…　and　now；　to　crown　the　whole；　we　make　over　to　you　our　sisters　and　our　mothers；　that　you　may　perceive　yourselves　to　be　entirely　honoured　by　us；　even　as　you　deserve　to　be…　and　also　that　you　may　take　back　word　to　the　king　who　sent　you　here；　that　there　was　one　man；　a　Greek；　the　satrap　of　Macedonia；　by　whom　you　were　both　feasted　and　lodged　handsomely。〃　So　speaking；　Alexander　set　by　the　side　of　each　Persian　one　of　those　whom　he　had　called　Macedonian　women；　but　who　were　in　truth　men。　And　these　men；　when　the　Persians　began　to　be　rude；　despatched　them　with　their　daggers。　　　　　So　the　ambassadors　perished　by　this　death；　both　they　and　also　their　followers。　For　the　Persians　had　brought　a　great　train　with　them；　carriages；　and　attendants；　and　baggage　of　every　kind…　all　of　which　disappeared　at　the　same　time　as　the　men　themselves。　Not　very　long　afterwards　the　Persians　made　strict　search　for　their　lost　embassy；　but　Alexander；　with　much　wisdom；　hushed　up　the　business；　bribing　those　sent　on　the　errand；　partly　with　money；　and　partly　with　the　gift　of　his　own　sister　Gygaea；　whom　he　gave　in　marriage　to　Bubares；　a　Persian；　the　chief　leader　of　the　expedition　which　came　in　search　of　the　lost　men。　Thus　the　death　of　these　Persians　was　hushed　up；　and　no　more　was　said　of　it。　　　　　Now　that　the　men　of　this　family　are　Greeks；　sprung　from　Perdiccas；　as　they　themselves　affirm；　is　a　thing　which　I　can　declare　of　my　own　knowledge；　and　which　I　will　hereafter　make　plainly　evident。　That　they　are　so　has　been　already　adjudged　by　those　who　manage　the　Pan…Hellenic　contest　at　Olympia。　For　when　Alexander　wished　to　contend　in　the　games；　and　had　come　to　Olympia　with　no　other　view；　the　Greeks　who　were　about　to　run　against　him　would　have　excluded　him　from　the　contest…　saying　that　Greeks　only　were　allowed　to　contend；　and　not　barbarians。　But　Alexander　proved　himself　to　be　an　Argive；　and　was　distinctly　adjudged　a　Greek；　after　which　he　entered　the　lists　for　the　foot…race；　and　was　drawn　to　run　in　the　first　pair。　Thus　was　this　matter　settled。　　　　　Megabazus；　having　reached　the　Hellespont　with　the　Paeonians；　crossed　it；　and　went　up　to　Sardis。　He　had　become　aware　while　in　Europe　that　Histiaeus　the　Milesian　was　raising　a　wall　at　Myrcinus…　the　town　upon　the　Strymon　which　he　had　obtained　from　King　Darius　as　his　guerdon　for　keeping　the　bridge。　No　sooner　therefore　did　he　reach　Sardis　with　the　Paeonians　than　he　said　to　Darius；　〃What　mad　thing　is　this　that　thou　hast　done；　sire；　to　let　a　Greek；　a　wise　man　and　a　shrewd；　get　hold　of　a　town　in　Thrace；　a　place　too　where　there　is　abundance　of　timber　fit　for　shipbuilding；　and　oars　in　plenty；　and　mines　of　silver；　and　about　which　are　many　dwellers　both　Greek　and　barbarian；　ready　enough　to　take　him　for　their　chief；　and　by　day　and　night　to　do　his　bidding！　I　pray　thee　make　this　man　cease　his　work；　if　thou　wouldest　not　be　entangled　in　a　war　with　thine　own　followers。　Stop　him；　but　with　a　gentle　message；　only　bidding　him　to　come　to　thee。　Then　when　thou　once　hast　him　in　thy　power；　be　sure　thou　take　good　care　that　he　never　get　back　to　Greece　again。〃　　　　　With　these　words　Megabazus　easily　persuaded　Darius；　who　thought　he　had　shown　true　foresight　in　this　matter。　Darius　therefore　sent　a　messenger　to　Myrcinus；　who　said；　〃These　be　the　words　of　the　king　to　thee；　O　Histiaeus！　I　have　looked　to　find　a　man　well　affectioned　towards　me　and　towards　my　greatness；　and　I　have　found　none　whom　I　can　trust　like　thee。　Thy　deeds；　and　not　thy　words　only；　have　proved　thy　love　for　me。　Now　then；　since　I　have　a　mighty　enterprise　in　hand；　I　pray　thee　come　to　me；　that　I　may　show　thee　what　I　purpose！〃　　　　　Histiaeus；　when　he　heard　this；　put　faith　in　the　words　of　the　messenger；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　him　a　grand　thing　to　be　the　king's　counsellor；　he　straightway　went　up　to　Sardis。　Then　Darius；　when　he　was　come；　said　to　him；　〃Dear　Histiaeus；　hear　why　I　have　sent　for　thee。　No　sooner　did　I　return　from　Scythia；　and　lose　thee　out　of　my　sight；　than　I　longed；　as　I　have　never　longed　for　aught　else；　to　behold　thee　once　more；　and　to　interchange　speech　with　thee。　Right　sure　I　am　there　is　nothing　in　all　the　world　so　precious　as　a　friend　who　is　at　once　wise　and　true：　both　which　thou　art；　as　I　have　had　good　proof　in　what　thou　hast　already　done　for　me。　Now　then　'tis　well　thou　art　come；　for　look；　I　have　an　offer　to　make　to　thee。　Let　go　Miletus　and　thy　newly…founded　town　in　Thrace；　and　come　with　me　up　to　Susa；　share　all　that　I　have；　live　with　me；　and　be　my　counsellor。　　　　　When　Darius　had　thus　spoken　he　made　Artaphernes；　his　brother　by　the　father's　side；　governor　of　Sardis；　and　taking　Histiaeus　with　him；　went　up　to　Susa。　He　left　as　general　of　all　the　troops　upon　the　sea…coast　Otanes；　son　of　Sisamnes；　whose　father　King　Cambyses　slew　and　flayed；　because　that　he；　being　of　the　number　of　the　royal　judges；　had　taken　money　to　give　an　unrighteous　sentence。　Therefore　Cambyses　slew　and　flayed　Sisamnes；　and　cutting　his　skin　into　strips；　stretched　them　across　the　seat　of　the　throne　whereon　he　had　been　wont　to　sit　when　he　heard　causes。　Having　so　done　Cambyses　appointed　the　son　of　Sisamnes　to　be　judge　in　his　father's　room；　and　bade　him　never　forget　in　what　way　his　seat　was　cushioned。　　　　　Accordingly　this　Otanes；　who　had　occupied　so　strange　a　throne；　became　the　successor　of　Megabazus　in　his　command；　and　took　first　of　all　Byzantium　and　Chalcidon；　then　Antandrus　in　the　Troas；　and　next　Lamponium。　This　done；　he　borrowed　ships　of　the　Lesbians；　and　took　Lemnos　and　Imbrus；　which　were　still　inhabited　by　Pelasgians。　　　　　Now　the　Lemnians　stood　on　their　defence；　and　fought　gallantly；　but　they　were　brought　low　in　course　of　time。　Such　as　outlived　the　struggle　were　placed　by　the　Persians　under　the　government　of　Lycaretus；　the　brother　of　that　Maeandrius　who　was　tyrant　of　Samos。　（This　Lycaretus　died　afterwards　in　his　government。）　The　cause　which　Otanes　alleged　for　conquering　and　enslaving　all　these　nations　was　that　some　had　refused　to　join　the　king's　army　against　Scythia；　while　others　had　molested　the　host　on　its　return。　Such　were　the　exploits　which　Otanes　performed　in　his　command。　　　　　Afterwards；　but　for　no　long　time；　there　was　a　respite　from　suffering。　Then　from　Naxos　and　Miletus　troubles　gathered　anew　about　Ionia。　Now　Naxos　at　this　time　surpassed　all　the　other　islands　in　prosperity；　and　Miletus　had　reached　the　height　of　her　power；　and　was　the　glory　of　Ionia。　But　previously　for　two　generations　the　Milesians　had　suffered　grievously　from　civil　disorders；　which　were　composed　by　the　Parians；　whom　the　Milesians　chose　before　all　the　rest　of　the　Greeks　to　rearrange　their　government。　　　　　Now　the　way　in　which　the　Parians　healed　their　differences　was　the　following。　A　number　of　the　chief　Parians　came　to　Miletus；　and　when　they　saw　in　how　ruined　a　condition　the　Milesians　were；　they　said　that　they　would　like　first　to　go　over　their　country。　So　they　went　through　all　Milesia；　and　on　their　way；　whenever　they　saw　in　the　waste　and　desolate　country　any　land　that　was　well　farmed；　they　took　down　the　names　of　the　owners　in　their　tablets；　and　having　thus　gone　through　the　whole　region；　and　obtained　after　all　but　few　names；　they　called　the　people　together　on　their　return　to　Miletus；　and　made　proclamation　that　they　gave　the　government　into　the　hands　of　those　persons　whose　lands　they　had　found　well　farmed；　for　they　thought　it　likely　（they　said）　that　the　same　persons　who　had　managed　their　own　affairs　well　would　likewise　conduct　aright　the　business　of　the　state。　The　other　Milesians；　who　in　time　past　had　been　at　variance；　they　placed　under　the　rule　of　these　men。　Thus　was　the　Milesian　government　set　in　order　by　the　Parians。　　　　　It　was；　however；　from　the　two　cities　above　mentioned　that　troubles　began　now　to　gather　again　about　Ionia；　and　this　is　the　way　in　which　they　arose。　Certain　of　the　rich　men　had　been　banished　from　Naxos　by　the　commonalty；　and；　upon　their　banishment；　had　fled　to　Miletus。　Aristagoras；　son　of　Molpagoras；　the　nephew　and　likewise　the